The Pacino Complex
There seemed to be a conflict on who should play “Michael,” who is the son of Don Corleone in the Godfather novel.
American actor Al Pacino (right) sits with Italian actor Franco Citti holding a rifle at an outdoor table in director Francis Ford Coppola’s film, ‘The Godfather’. (Photo by Paramount Pictures/Getty Images)
Francis jokes about it in later interviews saying everyone on the production was Italian and wanted a reflection of themselves to be Michael. For Coppola that reflection was Al Pacino. Producer Bob Evans thought Pacino was too short to play the part and was very against it happening.